Recommendation 20

The new strategy’s emphasis on efficiency is also reflected in the plan to cut the estate’s annual running costs by £500 million.51 In 2020–2021, the operating cost for central government property was £22 billion.52 We asked the Cabinet Office if it considered government’s current operating cost to property value ratio was at the right level.53 The 44 Qq 98, 101; Government Property Function, Government Property Strategy: 2022–2030, 13. 45 Q 124 46 Q 122 47 Qq 71, 123 48 Q 98. 49 Committee of Public Accounts, Optimising the defence estate, Twentieth Report of Session 2021–22, HC 179, 12 October 2021; Committee of Public Accounts, Sale of public land, One Hundred and Tenth Report of Session 2017–19, HC 2040, 24 July 2019 50 Qq 125, 101. 51 Q 95 52 Qq 1, 95; Cabinet Office, State of the Estate 2020–21, December 2021 53 Q 95 14 Managing central government property Cabinet Officed explained that the operating costs include rent on the 11% of government property that is leasehold. It also includes other significant costs, such as £8 billion spent on facilities management.54